Pilot for railway-cars



(No Model.) E M KAIG.

PILOT FOR RAILWAY CARS.

N0. 602,22Q. Patented Apr. 12,1898.

ma NORRIS PETERS co. mom-urns" WASH INGTON, n. c.

' ing-valves 11 at its opposite ends.

NITED h STAT-Es ARTENT FFIQE .,P|LO' T FOR RAIILWAYEIQARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent NO. 602,226, dated April12, 1898.

' Application filed'J'une 1, 1896. Serial No- 593;85 5. (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ELTHERA P. McKAre,

drawings.

The object of my invention is to produce a self-containedpneumatically-cushioned reversible pilot for railway-cars, or a pilotprovided with protective "pneumatic cushions which may be removed fromone end of a car to another, and which as a pilot or fender is completein itself, requiring no other adjustments in changing its position upona car than such as are necessary to fasten it in the supports providedfor it. 1

In the accompanying drawings, Figure I is a top plan view of aportionof'acar with my pilot attached. Fig. II is a front. elevation of thesame,partly in section. Fig. III is a side elevation with the pneumaticapron in section. Fig. IV is a modified form of the frame support. Fig.Vis a front elevation of the framesupporting mechanism.

Referring to the figures on the drawings, 1 indicates the forward end ofthe frame of a car-body to which is secured the frame of my pilot, whichconsists, preferably, of side frame-pieces 2, completed by theupwardlyextending frame 3 and the-'downwardly-extending frame 4, boltedto the forward endof the side pieces, as indicated at 5. The downwardlyextending frame 4 preferably carries a perforated pneumatic supply-pipe6, surrounded, by an inflatable bag or cushion 7, substantially as shownin my- Patent No. 553,787, dated January 28, 1896. The pipe 6communicates through branch pipes .8 with an air-reservoir 9, that issupported, as by supports 10, upon the depending frame 4 of the pilot.It is by that means entirely carried upon the pilot and made partthereof.

The reservoir 9 maybe provided with fill- The side frame-pieces 2 arepreferably supported at their forward ends, respectively, in hangers 13upon a curved grooved block 14 in the bottom part of each hanger. Thehangers themselves are secured, as by bolts 15, at their upper ends tothe respectiveside frame-pieces of the car. 1 g

16 indicates brackets for the support of the rear end of each of theside frame-pieces 2. Each is firmly secured, as by screws 17 and a lugor tenon 18, to the bottom of one of the side frame-pieces and carrieson its lower end an upwardly acting spring 19. Each of the brackets,upon its upper jaw 20, carries a hinged plate 21, that is provided witha vertical slot 22 and on its lower end with knuckles 23. The lower jaw24 of each bracket is provided with corresponding knuckles 25. A pin 26,passing through the knuckles 23 and 25, serves to secure the hingedplate in the fixed position. The pin may be provided with a flange 27,with which the bifurcated end 28 of a vertically-movable stop-piece29,fastened to the side of the hinged plate 21, engages to prevent theaccidental dislodgment of the pin. The width of each of the slots 22issuch as to accommodate the respective side framepieces 2, which wheninserted in place and the plates locked uponthe brackets by means of thepins 26 are firmly secured, the respective ends of the pieces 2terminating in heads or balls 30, which prevent them from beingliberated from the brackets 16, except by unfastening the hinged plates21 and slipping the parts 2 out of the slots 22. One spring 19 holds therear end of each of the frame-pieces '2 in the elevated position againstthe top of the slot 22.

Springs 31, secured to the bottom of the side frame-pieces of the car,respectively, as indicated at 32, press against the forward end of therespective frame-pieces 2 and hold them yieldingly against-the groovedblocks 14 in the brackets 13, respectively.

The springs 19 and 31 are shown as leafsprings; but in Fig. IV a slightmodification is shown, in which the forward spring 33 is a coiled springfixed between a seat 34 on the bottom of the car and a seat 35 on thetop of the frame side pieces 2. A coiled rear spring 36 is in likemanner seated against the bottom of each of the frame-pieces 2 andsupported upon an arm 37 upon a bracket 16.

' The springs 36 and 33 cooperate to hold the side frame-pieces 2yieldingly in position in the manner above-described with reference tothe springs 19 and 31.

39 indicates an inflatable apron of shape and dimensions to fill thespace above the cushion 7 to the top of the'frame 3. It preferablyconsists of a rubber bag or bag of similar material that, beingair-tight, is adapted to be inflated by internal air-pressure. Withinthis bag is preferably located a perforated metallic reservoir 40, towhich is fastened at one end an air-supply pipe 41, that communicates atthe other end, as indicated at 42, (clearly shown in Fig. 11,) with thereservoir 9.

By means of the employment of the cushion 7 and the inflatable apron 39my pilot is completely enveloped by a pneumatic cushion,constitutingaprotectivecovering. Thefront of the apron may be providedwith an aperture and a flap (not illustrated) for accommodating a frontdraw-bar, if desired.

Vhat I claim is 1. In a pilot for railway-cars, the combination with aframe adapted to be secured to a car, of an inflatable protectivecushion car- -ried upon the forward part of the frame, and

an air-reservoir also carried on the frame and communicating with thecushion supplied with air, substantially as set forth.

2. In a pilot for railway-cars, the combination with a frame adapted tobe secured to a car, of a protective inflatable covering extending overthe entire front portion of the frame, substantially as set forth.

3. In a pilot for railway-cars, the combinatipn with a frame adapted tobe secured to the car, of a protective inflatable covering extendingoverthe entire-front portion of the frame, and an air'reservoircommunicating with the inflatable covering, substantially as set forth.

4. In a pilot for railway-cars, the combination with a frame adapted tobe secured to a car, of a protective inflatable covering ex tending overthe entire'front portion of the frame, and an air-reservoircommunicating with the inflatable covering and carried upon the frame,substantially as set forth.

5. In a pilot for railway-cars, the combination with a frame andair-supply reservoir thereon, of an inflatable apron carried upon theforward part of the frame, a perforated reservoir within the same, and apipe uniting the perforated reservoir to the air-supply res- GI'VOil,substantially as set forth.

6. The combination with a railway car, brackets and slotted hingedplates upon opposite sides thereof, of a pilot-frame provided with sideframe-pieces entering, respectively, the slots in the hinged plates,enlarged ends upon the frame side pieces, and means for supporting theforward ends of the frame sidc pieces, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination with a railway-car, brackets and hangers uponopposite sides thereof, respectively, and frame side pieces, of a boltpassing through the hangers, enlarged ends upon the frame side pieces, aslotted hinged plate in each of the brackets adapted to engage the sideframe pieces, respectively, means for fastening the hinged plates, andoppositely-acting springs secured to the car and acting upon the top andbottom, respectively, of the side frame-pieces, substantially as and forthe purpose specified.

In testimony of all which I have hereunto subscribed my name.

ELTHERA P. MCKAIG.

Vitnesses:

E. J. I IAMLET, E. E. PORTER.

